Time and Again

[18] Isabel's Miraculous Rejuvenation

Isabel arrived in her apartment at 10:00 in the evening. She felt butterflies swirling around her stomach and she didn't know why. She felt excited even though there was nothing special to expect. She thought that maybe she felt excited because there would be a big surprise waiting for her but she had no idea what would be it. Or maybe it was just the result of the happiness she felt in helping Pretty make a wise decision. Either way, she needed to go to sleep early because tomorrow would be her last day of work. She would be retiring finally after 30 years of working. She was happy because after forever, she could finally rest.

Isabel wanted to set her alarm to 5:00 in the morning but it was futile because the hands of the clock was no longer moving. It showed that it already ran out of battery. Her other alternative for an alarm clock was her cell phone but it was still low of battery. Her excitement turned into frustration. She had no choice but to charge her phone or else she might be late for work the next day. While charging her phone, she rummaged in her drawer to see if she could find a spare alarm clock.

She found a motley assortment of memorabilia inside her drawer. She found the clothes of Emilio and all their sweet moments together flashed again in her memory. She pulled out Emilio's clothes from the drawer one by one until she found the ancient golden clock given to her by the madwoman Matilda.

Time flew so fast. She was so busy working to earn money, she almost forgot about the exquisite clock. The clock was no longer working. She kept it with her as a reminder that Emilio would come back to her someday.

She turned the glass covering of the watch counter clockwise and removed it. She examined the hands of the watch closely. It was intricately designed. It showed that it was carefully handcrafted by a skilled goldsmith combining the three colors of gold setting-the yellow, white and rose gold. She was amazed by its beauty.

'This watch must cost a fortune.' Isabel thought.

She wondered where Matilda got the clock. She had a strong feeling that Matilda was a magical woman who came from another world at another time.

She pointed the hands of the clock at number 12. She placed the glass cover of the clock again and placed it on top of her shelf. She fell asleep. She forgot the cell phone she charged and also to set the alarm clock.

When she woke up the next day, she was horrified at the time she woke up. It was already 12:00 in the afternoon. She was already very late for work. She dressed as fast as she could. She had never come to work so late in all her life. She moved like a 20-year-old woman, oblivious of her arthritis. Her body felt so light. She could no longer feel the aching of her joints. She thought that it might be caused by her adrenalin for waking up late for work.

She washed her face and wiped it with a clean towel. When she looked in the mirror, she was horrified to see the 20-year old version of herself. She slapped her face twice to make sure that she was already awake and not dreaming.

"Jesus, Joseph, and Mary! What shall I do? Am I still dreaming or am I already awake?"

She found her phone that she charged last night.

"By St. Veronica's handkerchief, I forgot to unplug my charger. That's why I woke up late because I was not able to set the alarm."

She looked at herself in the mirror again but still there was no change. She could still see her 20-year old self. She looked at her arms and her legs. There were no more wrinkles. She touched her smooth face. She jumped up and down. She could no longer feel the aching of her joints. She smiled at the mirror and her youthful glow reflected back. The wrinkles were no longer visible. She touched the side of her eyes and it was very smooth.

She racked her brain trying to recall what she did yesterday to magically transform into her youth. As far as she could remember, she did some shopping yesterday. She bought clothes, shoes, and food. She had dinner with Pretty. She got frustrated last night because her alarm clock was not working and her cell phone was low in battery.

The last thing she did last night was removed the glass of the ancient pocket watch and pointed its hands at 12.

She turned her head to the left and there she saw the clock again. She picked it up and saw its hands already functioning. She look at the time on the wall clock. The exact time of the day was also the same as the time of the ancient pocket clock.

She put down the watch hastily as if her hands were burn by it. She was horrified.

A lot of questions baffled her mind.

"What kind of black magic does this watch possess?"

Instead of celebrating for her rejuvenation, she was horrified. She felt like she's selling her soul to the devil in exchange of her youthful glow.

'I must see a priest at once.' She thought.

She put the watch inside her bag and went outside her apartment.

While she was waiting for a taxi, men were looking at her as if she was a goddess descended from heaven. There were some men who whistled at her. Who can blame those guys in admiring her beauty? She was a hot chick dressed in a conservative long-sleeve pink blouse and black slacks. She was oblivious to the men who were trying to get her attention. She didn't want to pay attention to them. She felt like a whore instead of being flattered when men stared or whistled at her.

She realized that the present generation was different from her generation before. Men blushed or looked down when they see her lovely face. She didn't get so much attention during her youth. It seemed like it was the first time for these modern men to see a lovely lady like her with the way they're trying to vie for her attention.

There was one guy riding from his bicycle who yelled at her, "Hey beauty, your beauty will just be a waste if you will not show some skin."

She wanted to throw a stone to the impolite guy who yelled at her. She felt insulted from his remark. For him it was a compliment, but for her it was impolite. She was planning to cover her face with a scarf next time she would go out from the apartment.

Finally she found a taxi. She hailed it and went directly to the church. She knelt down and prayed to God asking for wisdom and guidance on what to do next. After she prayed, she sat down on the pew to contemplate her next move. She was weighing things on her mind.

She couldn't allow a priest to inspect her watch because it might pose a lot of questions and he might advised her to destroy it. She couldn't also let a watch repairman examine it because it might pose again another series of questions. He might change the parts of her watch. Or worse, he might change her watch with a fake one once her attention would be diverted. She preferred to keep the watch to herself.

She submerged the watch in the holy water at the entrance of the church in order to get rid of the evil spirit it might possess.

While she was busy submerging the watch, she saw Pretty going outside the church. She walked so fast without turning her head.

She must let Pretty know about her secret. She trusted her because she was her best friend. They had been sharing each other's secrets ever since they had known each other. She picked her watch and walked as fast as she could to catch up with Pretty.

"Pretty, wait!" Isabel called out.